Everyone who has played The Wolf Among Us has their own Bigby Wolf, their own choices, their own story. Watching my story end, I thought about everything I and Bigby went through to get there; every piece of the puzzle, every bashed skull, every act of kindness, every bullet hole, every terrible huff-and-puff cigarette, every life lost and saved. I looked back on every choice I made throughout the entire season, and I couldn’t help but smile. It felt right.
It’s fitting, then, that the beginning of this episode seems so wrong. When we last saw Bigby, he just entered the lair of the Crooked Man and his goons. Unsurprisingly enough, the situation leads to a massive brawl, during which the villain escapes and the crooked manhunt begins. This leads to what turns out to be the best episode in the season, and probably some of the best writing Telltale Games has ever done. It’s not an exaggeration when I say that Cry Wolf has everything: action, meaningful conversations and moments that will make your jaw clench in tension or drop in shock. But most important of all – it confronts you with huge choices that can completely change the outcome of the story and the way you view and feel about certain characters.
From that very first brawl, Cry Wolf doesn’t let up. Telltale really pulled all the stops on this one, finally letting Bigby unleash the beast within and justify his “Big bad wolf” moniker. Lifting cars, jumping across rooftops and kicking the heck out of every goon in his way seem so natural for the determined Bigby, that you won’t even notice the quick-time events that litter these scenes. It’s all so powerful and engaging, and so well directed, that even the simple task of pressing the right button at the right time feels like an exciting and meaningful action. But all this pales in compression the inevitable confrontation with Bloody Mary.
But the action doesn’t stop there. After a fast-paced and rather bloody first half, the season finale switches gears and turns to a slow but intense courtroom drama. You may think that standing around and talking might not be the most exciting thing to do in a video game, but this part is so well-written it is just as immersive as the action. Those well-timed remarks that keep popping at the top of the screen constantly remind you that everything you say has consequences, and you get the feeling that Fabletown will indeed remember that.
Unfortunately, the pace keeps slowing down more and more as the episode draws to a close. This results in cheesy and drawn out final minutes, which take away from the episode’s impact. However, there’s still that much deserved closure, and just a hint of the things to come.
You also get to see the Bigby Wolf that was created by all of your choices, all your relationships with the residents of Fabletown and all the rivalries you’ve made throughout the season. Somehow, it feels even more rewarding than to actually see the story to its conclusion. Hopefully, you’ve managed to do some good together.
The Wolf Among Us: Cry Wolf delivers on every promise that was made when we first went through the second-story window of Woody’s apartment. The brutal action, incredible storytelling and fateful choices serve as a wonderful send-off to an overall strong season. Sure, there were some relationships I wish I could explore more and some characters I would have like to see more of, but that’s only because I felt so invested in the story and the world Telltale created. For now, the story is over, and there is only one thing left to say: I’ll see you around, Wolf.
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